Ten Best: Frankenmuth vs. Alma
The story of this game was the impressive speed at which Frankenmuth played at. From the tip to the very end, Frankenmuth was simply out-running and out-jumping Alma. For example, they had around 10 wide-open fastbreak dunk attempts. To be…
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Continue ReadingThe story of this game was the impressive speed at which Frankenmuth played at. From the tip to the very end, Frankenmuth was simply out-running and out-jumping Alma. For example, they had around 10 wide-open fastbreak dunk attempts. To be fair, junior stud Mario Whitley and Frankenmuth were doing quite a bit of cherry picking, but Alma had no answer for Frankenmuth’s clear athletic advantage. They scored with ease and had plenty of second-chance points as they dominated the glass as well. Frankenmuth opened up the game by taking a double digit lead within the first 3 minutes and never looked back. The only momentum Alma was able to grab all game would come when senior Konner Vedrode would get hot from beyond the arc. Alma was able to cut the deficit to single digits a couple times throughout the game, but Frankenmuth was always quick to answer with a run of their own. Overall it was a sound victory for Frankenmuth, with the score ending at a final of 78-59.
MVP: Mario Whitley (Frankenmuth)
The 6’4″ junior looked like Russell Westbrook in this game. Simply put, he dominated this game in every way and it wasn’t even close. He finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. To highlight his physical dominance, Whitley had 10 of his 32 points off dunks alone. It’s important to note that he isn’t just an athlete – he shot 3-6 from beyond the arc and displayed his defensive and playmaking abilities as well.
Offensive Player of the Game: Grant Bronner (Frankenmuth)
While Whitley could’ve just as easily fit this category, I gave the nod to Bronner because of the variety of ways he scored. As a 6’5″ senior, Bronner was able to score from three, midrange, in close and above the rim. He was Mario’s dunking partner this game, as Grant had a couple dunks himself. They combined for 39 of Frankenmuth’s 44 first half points. Bronner finished with a final line of 26 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. It is important to note that Frankenmuth pulled their starters for the majority of the 4th quarter, so these stats are essentially from just the first 3 quarters of play.
Defensive Player of the Game: Mario Whitley
Whitley’s combination of size, length and athleticism was too much for Alma to handle. He was able to rack up 4 steals in just 3 quarters of play. Additionally, Whitley was a force on the glass, finishing with 11 rebounds. While Alma may not have the best playmakers in the state, he was able to lock up anybody that came to his side of the zone. Alma struggled to even pass the ball around the three point line due to Whitley’s ability to jump passing lanes or deflect passes.
Best player off the bench: CJ Thompson (Alma)
Frankenmuth didn’t utilize their bench much until garbage time. Alma went deep into their bench, but Thompson was the clear standout from the bench unit. He finished 8 points, 3 rebounds, an assist and a steal. While that is a fairly average line from a bench player, it was the timing that made Thompson’s performance effective. He had a majority of these stats during a 3rd-quarter comeback attempt in which Alma was able to cut the deficit to single digits. This would prove to be the closest the score would be all game, barring the initial minute or two.
Best under-the-radar performance: Konner Vedrode (Alma)
Ken Kadwell: The Morning SunThe senior guard was really the only bright spot for Alma. He seemed to be the only guard that was able to remain under control in the face of Frankenmuth’s athleticism. He is capable of catching fire from deep at any moment, and this game was no different. Vedrode flirted with an explosive performance all night, as there were two separate occasions in the game where he hit multiple shots in consecutive offensive possessions. He finished with a final line of 26 points (7 threes), 2 rebs and a steal.
Best Underclassmen: Carson Bell (Frankenmuth)
As I mentioned previously, Frankenmuth didn’t go deep into their bench until garbage time. They did rotate in 2 or 3 guys consistently, however, and one of these guys was Carson Bell. The sophomore is the only underclassmen on this Frankenmuth squad. He helped Frankenmuth fight off Alma’s final comeback attempt in the 3rd quarter by hitting a pair of threes and swiping 2 steals.
Best Intangibles: Ryan Cornejo (Alma)
It seems like you can always tell when a guy is a standout football player. They seem to bring a certain toughness or grit to the floor, and that’s exactly what Cornejo did. He battled for rebounds, often times being the only player on the Alma squad that could successfully secure a rebound. He played some tough defense as well. He finished with a final line of 1 point, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block.
Play of the game: Mario Whitley
Whitley was very anxious to run in transition, as he frequently leaked out and caught outlet passes after an Alma shot. His athleticism makes him a force in transition and it was never more clear than in this game. He had numerous fastbreak opportunities where there was only one defender (if that) between him and the rim. This led to easy dunk attempts for the 6’4″ junior. One of these attempts, however, CJ Thompson of Alma decided to jump and attempt to protect the rim, to which Whitley responded by posterizing Thompson through the foul. This and-one was really the defining moment of the game, as it highlighted Frankenmuth’s superior athleticism and aggression.
Best story to watch going forward: Konner Vedrode
This was Vedrode’s second consecutive game with 7 threes made. Vedrode is known for being an explosive shooter, so this performance should not be surprising to anyone. After the game I was able to catch up with Vedrode and he told me that the Alma school record for made threes in a game is 8. He was chasing this record, as he knows he’s capable of breaking it. It will be interesting to see if he will be able to set a new record this year.
Best Rebounder: Mario Whitley
Whitley’s combination of athleticism, height and length make for him to be a beast on the glass. He had several rebounds this game where he simply out-jumped everybody else, going up and getting it at a height nobody else could touch. What was even more impressive, however, is how he used offensive rebounds to get easy points off putbacks and layups. This is important because there are plenty of guys who can rebound, but Whitley’s ability to finish through contact separates him from just an average rebounder. This is one of the strongest parts of Whitley’s game.